Driving in Paris: Low emission zone

Paris, France · Low emission zone

Official name Zone à Faibles Émissions métropolitaine (ZFE)

In force in Paris right nowTuesday, 13 October 2026 at 11:03 · Europe/Paris

  • In force Cars, powered two-wheelers and vans
  • In force Heavy vehicles, coaches and buses

Lifts Tuesday, 13 October 2026 at 20:00 local time.

The source exempts light vehicles on public holidays as well as at weekends, and states no holiday exemption for heavy vehicles, coaches and buses. Their verdict therefore treats a public holiday as an ordinary day, because that is what the source says.

Operating times only, read from the source below. It does not check your vehicle.

What applies

Greater Paris runs a low emission zone covering 77 communes. To drive in it you must display a Crit'Air sticker — and you need one even if you only park there during restricted hours. Since 1 January 2025 Crit'Air 3 vehicles are restricted too, which means diesel cars registered before 2011 and petrol cars before 2006.

Enforcement is still in an educational phase: until 31 December 2026 checks are occasional and informative.

Source: Métropole du Grand Paris, read 2026-09-02
Daily charge

There is no daily charge. The cost is the Crit'Air sticker itself: €3.85 per vehicle including postage, at the tariff shown on the page as of 02/01/2025. That is a one-off, not a charge per entry, so it is recorded under how_to_comply.

When it operates

Monday to Friday, 08:00–20:00. Restricted light vehicles (cars, powered two-wheelers, vans) may drive between 20:00 and 08:00, at weekends and on public holidays. For heavy vehicles, coaches and buses the restriction applies every day of the week from 08:00 to 20:00. National or local exemptions may apply.

Source: Métropole du Grand Paris, read 2026-09-02
Area covered

77 communes of the Métropole du Grand Paris, from 1 January 2025. The Métropole publishes the list of communes as a separate document.

Source: Métropole du Grand Paris, read 2026-09-02
Petrol standard

Petrol cars first registered before 2006 are restricted, because they fall into Crit'Air 3 or worse. Crit'Air 2 covers petrol and hybrid cars from 2006 to 2010, and Crit'Air 1 covers petrol cars from 1 January 2011 onwards.

Source: Métropole du Grand Paris, read 2026-09-02
Diesel standard

Diesel cars first registered before 2011 are restricted, because they fall into Crit'Air 3 or worse. Crit'Air 2 covers diesel cars from 1 January 2011 onwards; Crit'Air 3 is diesel from 2006 to 2010, Crit'Air 4 diesel from 2001 to 2005, and Crit'Air 5 diesel from 1997 to 2000.

Source: Métropole du Grand Paris, read 2026-09-02
Penalty if you do not comply

The Métropole du Grand Paris page read on 2026-09-02 does not state the fine. It does say that until 31 December 2026 checks are occasional and informative, which is not the same as saying no fine exists. Not estimated.

How to comply
  • Order a Crit'Air sticker before you travel: €3.85 per vehicle including postage, at the tariff shown as of 02/01/2025. Order it online or by post from the official service.
  • The only official channel is certificat-air.gouv.fr. The Métropole warns that fraudulent sites sell far more expensive stickers that are not even valid.
  • You need the sticker even to park inside the zone during restricted hours, not only to drive.
  • If your vehicle is restricted, you may still drive in the zone between 20:00 and 08:00, at weekends and on public holidays — that exception does not apply to heavy vehicles, coaches and buses.
  • National and local exemptions exist for individuals and businesses, and the Métropole offers grants of up to €6,000 towards a cleaner vehicle.
Source: Métropole du Grand Paris, read 2026-09-02

See the zone on a map

Sources

Next scheduled re-check: 2026-12-01.

Before you set off

France also has a national requirement

This is owed on the country's roads, not inside this scheme. What France asks, with the source

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